Method for making a quick-setting gelatin dessert



United States Patent 51cc METHOD FOR MAKING A QUICK'SETTING GELATIN DESSERT William A. Mitchell, Lincoln Park, N. 1., assignor to General Foods Corporation, White Plains, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application July 22, 1954, Serial No. 445,204

1 Claim. 01. 99-130 This invention relates to an improved method for making quick-setting gelatin desserts.

The presently recommended procedure for making a gelatin dessert from a package containing sugar, gelatin, an acid, flavor and color, among other ingredients, involves adding a cup of hot water to the contents of the package and stirring the ingredients until completely dissolved. Thereafter, an additional amount of water (cold) is added and the mixture is poured into molds and chilled until set. In this method it is preferred that the water initially added to the contents of the dessert package be subsantially below the boiling temperature of the water; otherwise there is a likelihood of degradation of the gelatin constituent of the package ingredients with consequent reduction in gel strength and texture. In many instances the housewife, however, in attempting to follow directions of the manufacturer either does not heat the water sufliciently to completely dissolve the contents of the package or else inadvertently boils the water and thereby later degrades the gelatin constituent of the dessert.

For the sake of convenience to the housewife it is desirable to provide a quick-cooling recipe whereby the gelatin dessert will set in a sufiiciently short period of time, in the order of 45 minutes. In such quick-setting recipes the housewife is instructed to crush a measured quantity of ice and add the crushed ice to the contents of a package dissolved in hot water, the ice being employed to accelerate cooling of the solution to a temperature at which the solution will set more rapidly when chilled. Unfortunately, diificulty is experienced in attempting to crush the ice in the measured amount required to cool the gelatin dessert solution. If too much ice is added the dessert will not possess sufiicient gel strength. Moreover, a recipe calling for a cup of crushed ice, for example, is not an accurate measure of the amount of ice required to effect the required degree of cooling while at the same time providing the required portion of water for the contents of the dessert package. As the degree to which the ice is crushed varies, the quantity of water will also vary and as a result the properties of the eventual gelatin dessert will vary. Then again, by reason of the temperatures of the hot water specified for previous recipes it takes a considerable length of time for the crushed ice to melt completely. The last traces of ice in the solution will melt slower so that in order to prevent the presence of ice in the gelatin dessert much of the time advantage of a quick-setting recipe is lost.

Objects of the present invention include, therefore, an improved quick-setting recipe for making a gelatin dessert wherein it is no longer necessary to employ a measured quantity of crushed ice for cooling the dissolved contents of a dessert package and wherein the period of time required for setting the dessert will be reduced substantially as compared with present quick-setting gelatin dessert procedures.

Essentially, the method of my invention includes the addition of a measured quantity of boiling water to the contents of a dessert package for a period of time sutiicient 2,785,072 Patented Mar. 12, 1957 to dissolve the contents thereof and then adding an excess of ice in sufficient quantity to reduce the temperature of the dessert solution to the neighborhood of between 2-"8 C the amount of ice being in excess of that required to cool the boiling water from its boiling temperature to a temperature between 2 and 8 C. Thereafter; the ice is removed from the solution and the dessert may then be chilled or allowed to set at room temperature.

The present procedure has the benefit that an initial elevated temperature for the water is employed which can be accurately controlled, i. e., the temperature oft-he boiled wa-ter'after the ingredients have been dissolved therein, and the heat differential required for the ice that must be melted to lower't h'e gelatin solutionfrom said elevated temperature to temperatures between 2 and 8 C. can be accurately predicted so that the quantity of water added to the solution in the course of melting. the ice can be closely controlled. This is advantageously true by reason of the fact that at temperatures between 2 and 8 C. the rate of heat transfer in the system is slower than at higher temperatures and, accordingly, the weight of ice melted will vary only slightly. As a result, the gelatin solution is cooled quickly to the desired temperature required for setting and the gel strength of the dessert is not impaired by an inaccurate or variable addition of cooling water. Thus, in the present procedure by elevating the temperature of the added hot water to boiling temperatures a substantially precise heat differential for melting the required amount of ice to the required pre chilling temperatures is afforded, such that an excess amount of ice can be employed and it is not necessary to measure a parti ular amount of said ice.

Of course, the amount of boiling water added to dissolve the contents of the dessert package will vary in accordance with the overall amount of Water required in a dessert solution after melting the ice so as to develop the required gel strength. The greater the amount of boiling water initially added, the greater will be the amount of ice melted and, consequently, the lower will be the gel strength all other things remaining equal. In any event, the temperature of the dessert solution prior to removal of ice will be in the neighborhood of between 28 C. at which the rate of melting is sufiiciently slow as to assure a sufficiently accurate estimate of the overall water content in the quickly cooled solution.

For the sake of illustration, a typical recommended procedure under the present invention for the conventional package of gelatin dessert includes the addition of a cup of boiling water to the contents of the gelatin dessert package. Said package generally contains about 3 /2 oz. of the dessert powder comprised of about 10% gelatin, sucrose, the remaining percentage comprising citric acid, phosphate, salt, flavor and color. The ingredients are dissolved in about 2 minutes. However, this period should not be exceeded since otherwise the gelatin constituent will degrade and the gel strength of the dessert will be unacceptable. About eight to twelve cubes of ice of medium size, viz., ice cubes each weighing 40 g., are then stirred into the boiling solution for from 1 /2 to 3 minutes and the temperature as a result will drop in the solution to between 2 and 8 C. Advantageously, the drastic reduction of temperature in the solution from the initial temperature of the gelatin solution is sufliciently rapid so as to avoid and substantially reduce the possibility of degradation of the gelatin constituent of the dessert. The period during which the ice cubes are stirred in the water solution to lower its temperature may vary, and it is not necessary to exercise a close degree of control of such period since at temperatures between 2 and 8 C.; the amount of ice melted will vary slightly over the latter period of quick cooling so that the specified quantity of water for the gelatin dessert will be substantially accurately provided. Finally, the unmelted ice cubes are removed from the quick cooled solution and the latter may be set in a refrigerator for a period of about 20-30 minutes or allowed to set at room temperature for a slightly longer time.

It will be noted, therefore, that the present procedure avoids the difiiculties encountered by reason of variable upper levels of temperature for the hot water added to dissolve the gelatin dessert and to melt a measured quantity of crushed ice. Under the present procedure the boiling water melts a measured quantity of water from the excessive addition of ice without the necessity for exercising a close measurement either of quantities or time for the added quick cooling medium. Assuming that medium or large size ice cubes made in conventional refrigerators are employed for the quick cooling medium, the cooiing period can be readily approximated by the house lie without the possibility of substantial error of proportion of aqueous solvent to dry ingredients.

Whatis claimed is:

A method for making a quick-setting gelatin dessert which essentially comprises adding a measured quantity of boiling water to the dry ingredients of the dessert to dissolve the same, adding an amount of ice in excess of that required to reduce the temperature of the water to between 2 and 8 C., and thereafter removing the excess undissolved ice from the dessert solution when it has cooled to said temperature, the amount of boiling water being measured so that when combined with the water from the ice melted in reducing the temperature as aforesaid, the dessert Will set quickly with desired gel strength upon standing for a period of 2030 minutes.

References Cited in the file of this patent Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking, by Meta Given, l. G. Ferguson and Associates, Chicago, 1949, vol. 1, page 80 i Everybodys Cookbook, by Lord, revised edition, Harcourt, Brace and Company, New York, pages 62, 63, 64 and 68. V 

